Geneva College Online

During this
course, you will be introduced to the concepts of organization, organizational
culture, paradigm, and worldviews, including both biblical and secular
perspectives. Particular attention will be given to the manner in which
culture, paradigms, and worldviews shape our understanding of leadership.

Beyond the
major theories and concepts of leadership and organizations, you will be
exposed to the major points of interest and questions that surround the study
of organizational leadership. Some of these issues include the distinction
between leadership and leaders, the distinction between leadership and management,
the place of followership in leadership studies, and the meaning of servant
leadership.

Using this
knowledge, you will be challenged to examine and re-conceptualize your
understanding of leadership and to begin to apply these concepts and theories in
today’s increasingly complex organizations.

During this
course, you will be introduced to the concepts of organization, organizational
culture, paradigm, and worldviews, including both biblical and secular
perspectives. Particular attention will be given to the manner in which
culture, paradigms, and worldviews shape our understanding of leadership.

Beyond the
major theories and concepts of leadership and organizations, you will be
exposed to the major points of interest and questions that surround the study
of organizational leadership. Some of these issues include the distinction
between leadership and leaders, the distinction between leadership and management,
the place of followership in leadership studies, and the meaning of servant
leadership.

Using this
knowledge, you will be challenged to examine and re-conceptualize your
understanding of leadership and to begin to apply these concepts and theories in
today’s increasingly complex organizations.

This course emphasizes understanding the relationship between
effective leadership and work
motivation, with an emphasis on "engagement”. What role does motivation play in the
leadership process? This adventure into the study of the relationship between leadership and
work motivation is multifaceted. It is clear that
there is much more to it than the "flavor of the
month” approach that is popular in many organizations. Steers, Porter, & Bigley (1996, p. 3)
describe motivation as "a highly complex phenomenon that affects, and is affected by, a
multitude of factors in t
he work milieu.” In order to gain an understanding of some of those
complexities, this course begins with consideration of the meaning and purpose of work
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Why
do people work? The course includes several theories of motivation, which will help in
understanding some of the practices that exist in work organizations. The course also explores
assumptions about human nature that form the basis for motivational theories and practices.
Humanistic assumptions are contrasted with biblical descriptions of human nature
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What
assumptions about people are made when deciding to implement motivational strategies among
co-workers and others? Overarching questions in the course include: What is the relationship
between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? How can motivational models and processes be
applied in the workplace and in other real-world situations? What are some of the ethical
implications involved in the motivational process? These and other issues help to develop an
understanding that work motivation involves more than the proverbial carrot or stick.

Typically excluded from the discourse on work motivation are the identification, analysis, and
application of biblical principles to motivational theory and processes. An important outcome of
this course is the
development of a perspective on motivation that includes themes derived from
the Bible. A foundational theme of this course is that work and other human pursuits are
meaningless unless done to the glory of God. This theme is reiterated throughout the course
with readings from the book of Ecclesiastes. These and other biblical passages bring a
perspective to the discourse on work motivation that is absent from most writings on the subject.